The inner world of man is unfathomable. It is an incomparable wonderland of wills and aspirations,

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1 64 Laxmi Sinha ISSN July 2000, Vol. 1/I Gandhian Approach Religio-Humanism July 2000 Laxmi Sinha The inner world of man is unfathomable. It is an incomparable wonderland of wills and aspirations, askance and curiosity, agonies and ecstasies. The man who controls his passions and wills, receives within himself the reward of the creation of a poem a poem of fulfilment towards the greater worth of perfection. He ceases of think about himself and beings to think more about others living or non-being, little or great. To him everything appears as a challenge to re-discover himself by means of benevolence and magnanimity. Everything turns into a test for poignancy and perfection. The core of humanism in a man is thus born. The function of humanism in him starts as soon as he is born in this world, looks around with wonderful eyes and kicks in the air to indicate his restlessness for his debt to the Mother Earth with all her inhabitants. With this sense of indebtedness, man seeks salvation (Moksha) from the limitations of service towards himself and others for the service of God. In fact, his inward search, endless and profound, determines how far he is faithful to himself, to religion, to God and to morality. Gandhi explains this role of an individual as self-realisation which is religion in terms of morality which ultimately turns out to be the mouthpiece of humanism. Explaining this objective of life in course of his introduction to autobiography, he categorically observes: What I want to achieve, What I have been striving and pining to achieve these thirty years, is self-realisation, to see God face to face, to attain Moksha. I live and move and have my being in pursuit of this goal. All that I do by way of speaking and writing, and all my venture in the political field, are directed to this same end. But as I have all along believed that what is possible for one is possible for all, my experiments have not been conducted in the closet, but in the open; and I do not think that this fact detracts from their spiritual value. There are some things which are known only to oneself and one s Maker. These are clearly incommunicable. The experiments I am about to relate are not such. But they are spiritual, or rather moral; for the essence of religion is morality. 1 Bearing in mind all the time the truth that the aim of life is to ceaselessly try to find out goodness and nurture it against all odds, Gandhi banks heavily upon morality that serves as a guideline to his concept of religion. Self-purification in the essence of goodness, thus takes a major role in being truly religious and humane in spirit and temperament. As he frankly observes: I know, too, that I shall never know God if I do not wrestle with and against evil even at the cost of life itself. I am fortified in the belief of my own humble and limited experience. The purer I try to

2 Gandhian Approach Religio-Humanism 65 become the nearer to God I feel myself to be. How much more should I be near to Him when my faith is not a mere apology, as it is today, but has become as immovable as the Himalayas and as white and bright as the snows on their peaks? 2 The guiding principle of every religious thought as Gandhi poignantly feels and practises in action, is transcendence. That it is always applicable for purification of mankind in all his thoughts and activities, makes it worthy of its connotation. The moral instincts of mankind are, therefore, surcharged best by the religious sensibilities that empower every human being to transcend. In this connection, Gandhi s own explanation of religion might be recalled: Let me explain what I mean by religion. It is not the Hindu religion which I certainly prize above all other religions, but the religion which transcends Hinduism, which changes one s very nature, which binds one indissolubly to the truth within and which ever purifies. It is the permanent element in human nature which counts no cost too great in order to find full expression and which leaves the soul utterly restless until it has found itself, known its Maker and appreciated the true correspondence between the Maker and itself. 3 The religion as explained above by Gandhi makes a marriage of religion and humanism. It also ensures the fact that a living faith in self-realisation ultimately brushes aside all incoherences of humanity and leads one towards greater spiritual height. The limitations of humanity are those erroneously termed as religious sacrifices through immoral sanctions of mankind. Gandhi wants to shatter all disillusions and misconceptions of religion by means of ardent endeavour to withdraw ourselves from our innumerable limitations in order to be able to hear the divine music continually going on amidst and within ourselves: Indeed, even the so-called realisation has at bottom an element of faith without which it cannot be sustained. In the very nature of things it must be so. Who can transgress the limitations of his being/i hold that complete realisation is impossible in this embodied life. Nor it is necessary. A living immovable faith is all that is required for catching the full spiritual height attainable by human beings. God is not outside this earthly case of ours. Therefore, exterior proof is not of much avail, if any at all. We must ever fail to perceive him through the senses, because He is beyond them. We can feel Him, if we will but withdraw ourselves from the senses. The divine music is incessantly going on within ourselves, but the loud senses drown the delicate music, which is unlike and infinitely superior to anything we can perceive or bear with our senses. 4 True religion and, for that end in view, true, resourceful, living humanism is always indicative of the divine music or the delicate music going on ceaselessly within ourselves. Gandhi advocates for a bounding of our senses primarily because purity of the self is the most desirable and necessary factor for beyonding of the senses and nearness to God. Moreover, with the inherent urge for the beyonding of the senses, we are what we should be as the true followers of religion. Our earnest commitments and endeavours for self-purification is nothing but our sincere striving for self-realisation which means that we are on the right track of humanism. The ills of mankind are, in fact, the ones of self-being continually neglected or ignored. Sometimes the self is belittled, too. The errors of humanity are the off-shoots of this belittled self. The divine music taught or preached by every religion terribly suffers from such type of belittled attitude. The agonies of the lost soul and the self are, indeed, the agonies of humanism and religion. Global Religious Vision, Vol. I/I

3 66 Laxmi Sinha Gandhi calls for a reorientation of the self through action in purity and perfection and not simply by, means of contemplation. His religion is the religion of action aiming at complete realisation of the self. His religion is also the religion of the beyonding of the senses. Then, and then only, the lost music of humanity can be revived and heard again. Apart from the fact that self-realisation necessitates detachment from ordinary and commonplace source of enjoyment, Gandhi clarifies his points of view of humanism synchronised in the holy thoughts of religion. One of the fundamental avenues of this synchronisation as Gandhi shows in action is the religion of love, the most desirable aspect of humanism. The strategies of ahimsa or non-violence as he follows and advises everyone to follow, are nothing but identification with every living force responding and representing God. This concept of religion is undoubtedly a significant point of departure from the stereo-typed concept of God, which comes closest to that of Sri Ramakrishna or Swami Vivekananda. It is also the inherent call of every religion to love every living being anywhere and everywhere. Love as the essence of self-purification as Gandhi believes, heightens humanism. This is not all. Love as a powerful component of religion and humanism, spreads like the sweet fragrance of flowers all throughout. In the words of Gandhi: To see the universal and all-pervading Spirit of Truth face to fact one must be able to love the meanest of creation as oneself. And a man who aspires after that cannot afford to keep out of any field of life. That is why my devotion to truth has drawn me into the field of politics; and I can say without the slightest hesitation, and yet in all humility, that those who say that religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion means. 5 How can one identify oneself with every living being? Gandhi has a very categorical answer: Identification with everything that lives is impossible without self-purification; without selfpurification the observance of law of ahimsa must remain an empty dream; God can never be realised by one who is not pure of heart. Self-purification therefore, must mean purification in all walks of life. And purification of oneself necessarily leads to the purification of one s surroundings. 6 For purity of heart achieved through self-realisation, Gandhi considers humanism a matter of belonging to oneself to be true to others. This is the only religion that serves mankind best. Since religion is to equip one to be of utmost service towards the good of mankind, it is necessary that one gradually prepare oneself for the best services to be rendered towards mankind. The moral force that acts as Gandhi ardently feels, is the great Upanishadic saying: Aa noh bhadra kratava yantu visvatah let noble-thoughts come to us from every direction. The source of eternal strength lies in learning, identifying and actualising the noble thoughts that would serve best for the all-round development and welfare of mankind. When Gandhi emphasises on prayer, he practically lays stress on peace and orderliness of mind for the welfare of the entire humanity. He also looks upon prayer to bring together all the evils of humanity to be recast in the power of man s inherent force to turn all evil into goodness. This sense of humanism becomes alive and all powerful when one whole-heartedly associates oneself for the service towards fellowmen. As Gandhi characteristically highlights: We are born to serve our fellowmen, and we cannot properly do so unless we are wide awake. There is an eternal struggle raging in Man s breast between the powers of darkness and of light, and he who has not the sheetanchor of prayer to rely upon will be a victim to the powers of darkness. The man of prayer will be July 2000

4 Gandhian Approach Religio-Humanism 67 at peace with himself and with the whole world, the man who goes about the affairs of the world without a prayerful heart will be miserable and will make the world also miserable. Apart, therefore, from its bearing on man s condition after death, prayer has incalculable value of man in his world of the living. Prayer is the only means of bringing about orderliness and peace and repose is our daily acts. 7 The religion that should sincerely play its role in the life of mankind is the religion of all-round human welfare. This religion, as Gandhi firmly believes knows no defeat and does not, under any circumstances, compromise with evil forces. This religion is above fear and vicissitudes and it boldly encounters every undesirable force against humanism. It only seeks strength in one s faith in the All-Loving who never betrays love to be re-equipped with the power of doing good to mankind. The failures on the part of an individual to combat against evil forces can easily be surmounted if he believes in the omnipresence of God in every affair of life. An uncompromising faith in God is the great divine assistance that he receives at every time and on every occasion makes the onward journey of man for self-realisation smooth and successful. From his broad religious view of humanism, Gandhi visualises God who is always at one s beck and call: God is the hardest taskmaster I have known on earth, and he tries you through and through. And When you find that your faith is failing or your body is failing you, and you are sinking. He comes to your assistance somehow or other and proves to you that you must not lose your faith and that He is always at your beck and call, but on His terms, and not on your terms. 8 Aiming at religion for understanding and efflorescence of humanism is an eternal dimension of Indian philosophy. The sense of self-purification as nursed and caressed thought the religion of love the surest way of nearness to mankind grows in spontaneity with the awareness of global goodness: Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. Keeping in view that everyone is our near and dear one, and everyone has a natural kinship with us, religion makes wide room for efflorescence of humanism. In that case truth and religion become one and the same. Gandhi s own experience reveals this aspect of unison of truth and religion in the form of purity of action and contemplation: To see the universal and all-pervanding spirit of Truth face to face one must be able to love the meanest of creation as oneself. Identification with everything that lives is impossible without self-purification and God can never be realised by one who is not pure in heart. 9 For identification with all living beings, whatever guidance an individual receives out of his self-conscience and self-purification paves avenues of true religion and true humanism. The task for self-preparation is the task that Gandhi is his own religious concept terms as tapasya. It is the task of self-conditioning by means of self-suffering for the good of humanity. Let Truth emerge from the darkness of ignorance and impurity. Let the light of wisdom based on or rather enkindled with love enlighten the world of littleness. Truth alone stands out as the supreme criterion of religion and humanism. It sets all things in the right direction and to set all things in the right direction by means of Truth is the great lesson or religion yet to be learnt. In fact, Gandhi substitutes God by Truth, and when be does so he makes a broader dimension of religion in the light of humanism:...truth is the right designation of God. Hence there is nothing wrong in everyone following Truth according to his lights. Indeed, it is his duty to do so. Then, if there is a mistake on the part of anyone so following Truth, it will be automatically set right. For the quest of Truth involves tapas self- Global Religious Vision, Vol. I/I

5 68 Laxmi Sinha suffering sometimes even unto death. There can be no place in it for even a trace of self-interest. In such selfless search for Truth nobody can lose his bearings for long. Directly he takes to the wrong path he stumbles and is thus re-directed to the right path. 10 The pursuit of Truth on the part of an individual is to redirect oneself, as Gandhi rightly believes, to the path of humanism. The inner conscience that alerts him to be true to himself in order to be true to others is the source-point of humanism. For this, he needs a preparation, a sacrifice, a tapasya, a meditation within. This preparation or sacrifice, tapsaya or meditation within eliminates all narrowness of vision and heralds the glory of altruism which is the essence of humanism. Gandhi himself wavers from the charge of autocracy often unfortunately labelled against him by sharing his spirit of conscience and freedom and by holding himself beyond petty religious sensibilities for the noble cause of goodness of mankind by means of the pursuit of Truth or non-violence. As he defends: I have never been able to subscribe to the charge of obstinacy or autocracy. On the contrary, I pride myself on my yielding nature in non-vital matters. I detest autocracy. Valuing my freedom and independence I equally cherish them for others. I have no desire to carry a single soul with me if I cannot appeal to his or her reason. My unconventionality I carry to the point of rejecting the divinity of the oldest Shastras if they cannot convince my reason. But I have found by experience that, if I wish to live in society and still retain my independence, I must limit the points of utter independence to matters of first rate importance. In all others which do not involve a departure from one s personal religion or moral code, one must yield to the majority. 11 Like an ideal humanist, Gandhi believes in the rational approach to Truth from the stand-point of altruism. The inherent strength of Truth to hold the spirit of humanism above all untoward circumstances consolidates personality and character. Truth as an internal force of every action sublimates the evil and boosts whatever is good for mankind. Therein lies the point of unison between humanism and religion, and true religion always appeals and appreciates the great Upanishadic doctrine: Sarve sukhino bhavantu (let everyone of us be happy). Religion, then, merges in the invaluable spirit of human welfare. Gandhi extends his view-points on religion to politics also, for he thinks that true politics is always an introspective endeavour to the cause of humanism and, therefore, it must have its basis on Truth and religion. As he remarks: I could not live for a single second without religion. May of my political friends despair of me because they say that even my politics is derived from religion. And they are right. My politics and all other activities of mine are derived from my religion. I go further and say that every activity of a man of religion must be derived from his religion, because religion means being bound to god, that is to say God rules your every breath. 12 For an ideal setting of the kindom of Heaven in politics, Gandhi makes an ideal and unified platform of cohesion among politics, religion and Truth. As he categorically observes: For me, politics bereft of religion are absolute dirt, ever to be shunned. Politics concern nations and that which concerns the welfare of nations must be one of the concerns of a man who is religiously inclined, in other words, a seeker after God and Truth. For me, God and Truth are convertible terms, and if anyone told me that God was a God of untruth or a God of torture, I would decline to worship Him. Therefore, in politics also we have to establish the Kingdom of Heaven. 13 A living faith in God rather than in sole abstractions comprises the essence of religion and humanism. This activates humanity and everyone becomes rational and dynamic in quest of the All July 2000

6 Gandhian Approach Religio-Humanism 69 Generous. The belief in the coexistence of God and man as highlighted by Gandhi broadens the vision of unison between religion and humanism. It is this broadening of vision that marks the essence of human civilisation. Gandhi takes recourse to Truth primarily because it is an all-embracing factor of humanism and is never denied even by the atheists. For the role of Truth as a dominant factor of religion and humanism his own education deserves a reference: No search is possible without some workable assumptions. If we grant nothing, we find nothing, we find nothing. Ever since its commencement, the world, the wise and the foolish included, has proceeded upon the assumption that if we are, God is, and that, if God is not, we are not. And since belief in God is coexistent with the humankind, existence of God is treated as a fact more definite that the fact that the sun is. This living faith has solved a large number of puzzles of life. It has alleviated our misery. It sustains us in life, it is our solace in death. The very search for Truth becomes interesting and worthwhile, because of this belief. But Truth is God. God is, because Truth is. We embark upon the search, because we believe that there is Truth and that it can be found by diligent search and meticulous observance of the well-known at well-tried rules of search. There is no record in history of the failure of such search. Even the atheists who have pretended to disbelieve in God have believed in Truth. The trick they have performed is that of giving God another, not a new, name. His names are legion. Truth is the crown of them all. 14 While disseminating the view that God who knows no single name of identity but is identified with many a name in order to be one, Gandhi upholds humanism as a process of harmonisation between Truth and religion. In fact, when he speaks of one Religion, be infuses the spirit of tolerance as one of the fundamental components of humanism and accelerates the role of True knowledge of religion to defuse inconsistencies whatsoever. As he characteristically observes: We have not realised religion in its perfection, even as we have not realised God. Religion of our conception, being thus imperfect, is always object to a process of evolution. And if all faiths outlined by men are imperfect, the question of comparative merit does not arise. All faiths constitute a revelation of Truth, but all are imperfect, and liable to error. Reverence for other faiths need not blind us to their faults. We must be keenly alive to the defeats of our own faith also, yet not leave it on that account, but try to overcome those defects. Looking at all religions with an equal eye, we would not only not hesitate but would think it our duty, to blend into our faith every acceptable feature of other faiths. 15 Furthermore, in explaining the sychronising role of tolerance in religion, Gandhi piognantly remarks: The one Religion is beyond all speech. Imperfect men put it into such language as they can command, and their words are interpreted by other men equally imperfect. Whose interpretation is to be held to be the right one? Everybody is right from his own stand-point, but it is not impossible that everybody is wrong. Hence the necessity of tolerance, which does not mean indifference to one s own faith, but a more intelligent and purer love for it. Tolerance gives us spiritual insight, which is as far from fanaticism as the North Pole from the South True Knowledge of religion breaks down the barriers between faith and faith. 16 With the humanistic spirit of tolerance that serves as a bridge between Truth and religion, Gandhi advocates for service to fellowmen, that actually determines the ultimate Truth and realisation of the spirit of humanism based on religion. To bring about a proper and desirable harmony of consciousness in our day-to-day living, prayer holds the key to peace and discipline the two essential Global Religious Vision, Vol. I/I

7 70 Laxmi Sinha components of religion and humanism. Gandhi s introspective view-points of the same clarifies the true role of every person to manifest his humane sensibilities in terms of prayer: We are born to serve our fellowmen, and we cannot properly do so unless we are wide awake. There is an eternal struggle raging in man s breast between the powers of darkness and of light, and he who has not the sheet-anchor of prayer to rely upon will be a victim to the powers of darkness. The man of prayer will be at peace with himself and with the whole world, the man who goes about the affairs of the world without a prayerful heart will be miserable and will make the world also miserable. Apart therefore from its bearing on man s condition after death, prayer has incalculable value for man in this world of the living. Prayer is the only means of bringing about orderliness and peace and repose in our daily acts. 17 A heart search as prayer is, so appropriately explained by Gandhi, it acts as a guiding force to all humanistic and religious endeavour. And when one talks of self-purification or inward search, prayer stands out as one s supreme entity. It leads to humanity and simplicity, purity and serenity. It also leads to the great truth of every religion that God is omnipresent. Gandhi elucidates the point as follows: He (God) is within everyone. Nothing happens without His permission. Our prayer is a heart-search. It is a reminder to ourselves that we are helpless without His support. No effort is complete without prayer, without a definite recognition that the best human endeavour is of no effect if it has not God s blessing behind. Prayer is a call to humility. It is a call to self-purification, to inward search. I ask those who appreciate the necessity of inward purification to join in the prayer that we may read the purpose of God in such visitations, that they may humble us and prepare us to face our Maker whenever the calls comes, and that we may be ever ready to share the sufferings of our fellows whoever they may be. 18 For inward purification which is an essential component of true religion, Gandhi adds service service of humanity, for God as he believes, is in man and man alone. His own mission reflects this view-point: I am endeavouring to see God through service of humanity, for I know that God is neither in heaven, nor down below, but in everyone. 19 To heighten religion is to ennoble humanity and vice versa. It is, therefore, appropriate to uphold religion as a dynamic factor that leads everyone of us to the point of unison. Different opinions on religion are, indeed different aspects of human endeavour, that converge on point of cohesion. All religions are the assembly of humanistic endeavour happily merged in one out of many dimensions. Gandhi s simple assessment is note-worthy: Religions are different roads converging to the same point. What does it matter that we take different roads so long as we reach the same goal? In reality, there are as many religions as there are individuals. 20 That true religion and true humanism are identical in the sense that there is the common objective of transcendence, never averts Gandhi s attention. He, therefore, believes in the transcendence of all religions that eliminate all barriers in the unison of the Maker and man. His concept of religion is entirely merged in the spirit of transcendence and altruism: It is not the Hindu religion which I certainly prize above all other religions, but the religion which transcends Hinduism, which changes one s very nature, which binds one indissolubly to the truth within and which ever purifies. It is the permanent element in human nature which counts no cost too great in order to find full expression and which leaves the soul utterly restless until it has found itself, known to its Maker and appreciates the true correspondence between the Maker and itself. 21 July 2000

8 Gandhian Approach Religio-Humanism 71 To unfold the permanent element in human nature as true religion is, necessitates ceaseless endeavour in moulding the finer aspect of humanism. As true religion and true morality are, as Gandhi believes, one and the same aspect of humanism and are inseparable, so the mind of every person should be allowed to enjoy freedom in thought and action in order to reveal the poignance of humanism which by itself manifests religion. All good and evil acts are, indeed, the touch-stones of morality and ethics par excellence and ultimately of religion and humanism. As Gandhi categorically remarks: So long as we act like machines, there can be no question of morality. If we want to call an action moral, it should have been done consciously and as a matter of duty. Any action that is dictated by fear or by coercion of any kind ceases to be moral. It also follows that all good deeds that are prompted by hope of happiness in the next world cease to be moral. 22 Elsewhere, Gandhi points out the ills of compulsion and states: The mind of a man who remains good under compulsion cannot improve, in fact it worsens. And when compulsion is removed all the defects well up to the surface with even greater force. 23 With freedom exercised in humane sensibilities, a man becomes liberal in approach to religion and God. In fact, the concept of God, divergent and manifold, is widened in the light of humanism. Everyone s belief in God is thus honoured and religion gets its true connotation. Gandhi s practical comment on this point is very poignant and remarkable: I do not foresee a time when there would be only one religion on earth in practice. In theory, since there is one God, there can be only one religion. But in practice, no two persons I have known have had the same identical conception of God. Therefore, there will, perhaps, always be different religions answering to different temperaments and climatic conditions. 24 All true religion aims at perfection and all true humanism stands for true religion. The spirit of enquiry and fulfilment for Truth thrusts one to be truly humanistic in order to be truly religious. One cannot, therefore, be rest assured with one religious principle naturally because human hunger for perfection in religion and nearness to God drives one to embrace all religion as complementary to each other. This unique approach never narrows or knowingly dishonours any religion but widens and heightens every religion to be eternal and perfect. In the words of Gandhi: I believe that all the great religions of the world are true more of less. I say more or less because. I believe that everything the human mind touches, by reason of the very fact that human beings are imperfect, becomes imperfect. Perfection is the exclusive attribute of God and it is indescribable, untranslatable. I do believe that it is possible in every human being to become perfect even as God is perfect. It is necessary for us all to aspire after perfection, but when that blessed state is attained, it becomes indescribable, indefinable and I, therefore, admit, in all humility, that even the Vedas, the Koran and the Biblie are imperfect word of God and, imperfect beings that we are, swayed to and fro by a multitude of passions, it is impossible for us even to understand this word of God in its fullness. 25 For an understanding of the highest truth which is also Truth par excellence, God acts as a symbol of humanism. Gandhi, therefore, emphasises on service to humanity as service to God. As he observes: The immediate service of all human beings becomes a necessary part of the endeavour, simply because the only way to find God is to see Him in His creation and be one with it. This can only be done by service of all. I am a part and parcel of the whole, and I cannot find Him apart from the rest of humanity. 26 Elsewhere, Gandhi expresses the same view of oneness of humanism and Global Religious Vision, Vol. I/I

9 72 Laxmi Sinha religion: I believe in absolute oneness of God and, therefore, also of humanity. What though we have many bodies? We have but one soul. The rays of the sun are many through refraction. But they have the same source. 27 As a Karmayogi, a saint dedicated to the service of humanity, Gandhi widens the concept of religion as human endeavour for continual purification of the soul and the self. The individual self as he believes, merges in the universal self to become a worthy expression and exponent of the divine self. This belief in the divine self heightens humanity to the auspicious sense of mutual love to be in unison with the blessings of the divine self within. Gandhi represents and manifests the divine self within till the last moment of his life. As Dr. R. R. Diwakar observes A human being is a bundle or bunch of energies. The soul or self calling itself I is in command, in theory only. Love is one of powerful energies. If a person purifies this energy by diverting it from all other objects and dedicates it entirely to one s own Deity, he becomes a Bhakta, a devotee and Bhakti Yoga is born because the devotee yokes his power of purified love to the service of his Deity. In the case of Gandhi, he realised that this whole creation was at the command of God. He has gone on record to say not a leaf moves except by the Will of God. He names his God, Rama and the presence of Rama in this total consciousness was so vivid and constant that even at the most critical moment of death, his uppermost thought was He Ram. 28 A mystic-humanist, Gandhi enkindles the spirit of humanism in the beyonding of religion. He instils a faith eternal that breaks the barriers of littleness often nursed in ignorance. He craves for the purified atmosphere of all mankind, where man finds the wider avenues of pursuit of inner poignance and excellence. When he prays he humbles himself for the glory of man the glory that is felt inwardly with ceaseless endeavour and endless toil of the human soul. Meanwhile, let us ask ourselves: Are we the real followers of Gandhi to enjoy the essence of humanistic religion? July 2000 REFERENCES 1. Gandhi, M.K., An Autobiography, Navajivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad, p. XIV. 2. Prabhu, R.K. & U.R. Rao (compiled), The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi, Oxford University Press, London, 1945, p Gandhi, M.K., Young India, May 12, Prabhu, R.K. & U.R. Rao (compiled), Op. Cit., pp Gandhi, M.K., An Autobiography, Navajivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad, 14, p Ibid., pp Gandhi, M.K., Young India, January, 23, p Gandhi, M.K., Speeches and Writings of Mahatma Gandhi, G.A. Natesan & Co. Madras, p Gandhi, M.K., An Autobiography, Navajivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad, 1940, p Gandhi, M.K., From Yeravda Mandir, Navajivan Press, Ahmedabad, 1935, p Ibid. 12. Prabhu, R.K. & U. Rao (compiled), Op. Cit., 1945, p Ibid. 14. Tendulkar, D.G., Mahatma, Vithalbhai K. Jhaveri & D.G. Tendulkar, Bombay, Vol. III, pp

10 Gandhian Approach Religio-Humanism Gandhi, M.K., From Yeravda Mandir, Navajivan Press, Ahmendabad, 1935, p Ibid. 17. Gandhi, M.K., Young India, January 23, Gandhi, M.K., Hariian, June 8, 1835, p Prabhu, R.K. & U.R. Rao (compiled), Op. Cit., p Gandhi, M.K., Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule, Navajivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad, 1944, p Gandhi, M.K., Young India, May 12, Gandhi, M.K., Ethical Religion, S. Ganesan, Madras, 1930, p Gandhi, M.K., Harijan, September 29, 1946, p Prabhu, R.K. & U.R. Rao (compiled), Op. Cit., p Ibid., p Gandhi, M.K., Harijan, August, 29, 1936, p Gandhi, M.K., Young India, September, 25, 1924, p Diwakar, Dr. R.R., Gandhi As A Yogi, Gandhi Marg, Gandhi Peace Foundation, New Delhi, Vol. X, No. 5. August 1988, p Global Religious Vision, Vol. I/I